The Brain Pickers
by Hag9000
Summary: Honker Muddlefoot is kidnapped by FOWL in order to force him to reveal what he knows about Darkwing Duck.
1. Chapter 1

The Brain Pickers by Eric Smith

It was a typical day at the Muddlefoot house. Honker was doing extra homework for extra credit, his brother Tank was playing a violent new videogame. Mrs. Muddlefoot was doing dishes in the kitchen, and Herb had just settled on his couch for some intense reality TV watching. All was normal...so far.

No one noticed a van pull up by the curb. Two ducks got out, ducks dressed in yellow jumpsuits, thier faces hidden behind egg-shaped helmets. They were ordinary people turned forever into minions of F.O.W.L. The Eggmen opened the front door and crept through the hallway. They had a metal cylinder with them, and placed it at the foot of the stairs, adjacent to doorways leading to the kitchen and living room. Then one of them turned a valve on the tank, and they ran back out the door.

Thick clouds of green gas poured from the cylinder. It flowed into the living room, into the kitchen. "What the? Honker, have you been plain' with chemicals again?" cried Herb, seconds before he fell to the floor, overcome by the gas. Pinkie was so absorbed in baking cookies that she didn't even notice the gas until it became difficult to breathe. Then she too collapsed. The gas floated upstairs too, and soon Tank dropped his video game controller and slumped in his chair. "What's going on?" exclaimed Honker as the gas entered his room. He held a hand over his beak and tried to get into the hallway, but he couldn't even see, he was lost in a green fog. Then he fell over as well.

The gas dispersed fairly rapidly, and after about ten minutes, the air in the house was clear again. Wearing a gas mask just in case, an Eggman re-entered the house and headed upstairs. He quickly found Honker after consulting a photograph, and picked him up and carried him downstairs, out the front door, and placed him in the van. Then it roared off, and everything looked about how it did before they had arrived.

The phone rang a few minutes later, but of course, there was no answer. "That's weird, I know Honker's home." remarked Gasoline next door. She hung up and went over. To her surprise, the door was left open. Cautiously, the little girl entered. "Honker? Mr. Muddlefoot?" she called. Nothing. They couldn't have gone anywhere, the car was still in the driveway and Honker was the only Muddlefoot who ever walked anywhere. She entered the living room...and saw Herb lying on his side. She was almost afraid to go near him, but saw he was still breathing. Running back outside, she was already calling "Dad!"

Drake Mallard was having his lunch. "What's going on?" he asked his daughter.

"Something weird is happening at the Muddlefoots." said Gasoline. "And that's unusual?" quipped Drake. "I found Mr. Muddlefoot lying on the floor, Dad, come take a look." Drake sighed. "All right..."

A quick inspection of the house convinced even Drake that something was amiss. They found the other family members unconscious, but no sign of Honker. Gosalyn was really worried now. "What could have happened to him?" she asked Drake. "I'll find out...once Darkwing Duck gets involved." said Drake.

In costume a few minutes later as Darkwing Duck, he returned to the house to find the family awake but groggy. "Can you tell me what happened?" he asked Herb. "Some kinda weird gas floated in, I thought it was one of Honker's experiments." said Mr. Muddlefoot. "Next thing I know, you're standing there. Imagine, Darkwing Duck in my house."

"Okay, fine." said DW impatiently. "Sounds like you've been gassed. This device will scan the air for any remaining molecules of gas. There should be at least some left." He turned on the device, which resembled a radar gun, and waved it around. The device emitted a beeping sound. "Hmmm...looks like GZ7667. A powerful gas indeed." The crimefighter looked thoughtful. "But what about Honker?" asked Binkie. "He'll miss dinner."

Darkwing gave her one of his patented looks. "Well, he might have escaped...but then he would surely have gone to Drake Mallard's house. I spoke to him and his daughter, and he wasn't there. So I have to find out who is responsible for his disappearance. Darkwing Duck is on the job!" With that, he disappeared in a cloud of blue smoke, leaving the Muddlefoots bewildered as well as concerned.

Darkwing Duck and all related characters are property of Disney. This work is property of Eric Smith. (C) 2006. 


	2. Chapter 2

The Brain Pickers, part 2

by Eric Smith

Darkness. Total darkness that surrounded him and seemed almost like a live thing. But of course that was illogical...darkness wasn't alive, it was merely the absence of light. As the boy kept his eyes open, he did see some light, a thin line of it in front of him and below his line of sight.

Honker lay still and tried to make sense of it all. One moment he was in his room, then the gas came in and he tried to escape but couldn't...and now he was here. Wherever 'here' was. The gas made him think of Darkwing Duck for a moment, but that made no sense. Darkwing wouldn't have done this. Which led back to the original question, who had?

He was lying on a mattress, a bare mattress. Carefully, he swung his legs out and felt for the floor. It turned out the mattress was directly on the floor. He got up and looked at the light for a moment. Obviously a doorway. The only sound was a faint hum of a ventilation system. Honker walked towards the light and began feeling the wall on either side of that line of light. His hand rested on a switch, and he pressed it.

Immediately, the room flooded with light. Honker blinked his eyes rapidly as they became adjusted to it. He saw that he was in a small room, lit by a single florescent panel. There was the mattress, in a corner about ten feet away. The room's only other feature was a ventilation grille near the ceiling. Knowing it was probably no use, Honker tried the doorknob. Locked, as he expected. The boy sat down on the mattress with a sigh. Darkwing must surely know what had happened, and he'd try to rescue him. But from who?

The well built and equally well dressed rooster strolled down the corridor to the operations room. The overhead lights gleamed off his metallic beak as he straightened his tie and ran a plastic comb through the red comb on his head. Pays to look good for High Command, he thought. Two Eggmen saluted as Steelbeak passed, he ignored them as if they were ash cans.

High Command, he saw, was waiting for him on the screen as he entered the room. Thier faces were shrouded in darkness as always, but that was not nearly so black as thier mysterious pasts and thoughts. Even Steelbeak didn't want to know about that. "Agent Steelbeak reportin' as ordered." he said, saluting.

"You know, of course, about the operation last night." said the duck in the center, revealing a beak full of vicious looking teeth.

"Of course. Youse grabbed some kid. Ain't we recruitin' a little young?" he said, one of the few who dared joke with High Command.

"Hardly. You know as well as we do that child is a known associate of Darkwing Duck. Your task is to get him to tell all he knows about that crime fighting pest. You and your partner are authorized to use all means necessary to accomplish this, and success is expected."

"What partner?" asked Steelbeak, with a suspicion growing. "Together again, Steelie!" screeched a shrill voice, as the demented cleaning lady Ammonia Pine entered from a side door. "Youse can't do dis to me!" cried the rooster, although he knew they could do just as they pleased.

"Aw, quit complaining Steelie." said Pine. "We'll clean all the info out of that kid like yellow waxy buildup."

"Yeah, right." grumbled Steelbeak, making a mental note to ask for a raise. "The operation will commence at once. Proceed to the interrogation room, and the boy will be brought to you. High Command out." The screen went blank. "Shall we go, Steelie?" asked Pine, holding the door for him. "Yeah, sure." said Steelbeak with a resigned sigh as he followed her.

Miles away, someone else let out a sigh. This was Darkwing Duck, who had just checked the crime records for the past Wednesday. This was Monday, so he had four days to go to find which chemical warehouse had been robbed. So far, no luck, and it was time consuming. He bent his head to the side to get the kinks out of his neck, and pulled up the files for Thursday.

"Anything yet, Dad?" said Gosalyn. She had circles under her eyes, and had gotten little sleep. Darkwing hated to see his daughter so, but he understood that she was worried. They all were. "Sorry, honey, not yet"  
"Come on Dad! There's gotta be something!" exclaimed Gosalyn.

"Gos, I'm trying." said Darkwing. "I have to find out what chemical plant was robbed of that knockout gas. Then I have to go there, and try and get clues as to who's responsible. When I know that, it'll be easier to track them down--and find Honker. But it takes time."

"Honker might not have time!" cried Gosalyn. She knew she was being unfair, she knew that Darkwing was doing his best. But worry made her unreasonable, and she couldn't help it.

"Wait a minute, here's something." said Darkwing. "The Plextron Chemical Factory was broken into last Thursday night. At last, I have something to go on. I'd better have a look. Come on, Launchpad." He got up and reached for his hat.

"I'm going, too." said Gosalyn. "Oh, no, young lady, you'd better stay here." said Darkwing.

Gosalyn's feet were set firmly, and the look in her eyes belonged to someone much older. "If you want to stop me coming Dad, you'll have to lock me up in chains." Darkwing stared at her for a long moment, and could barely hold in his pride for his daughter. "Alright, then, let's go, we haven't time to lose." They followed Launchpad to the Thunderquack.

To be continued...

Darkwing Duck and related characters are property of Disney. This work is property of Eric Smith. (C) 2006. 


	3. Chapter 3

The Brain Pickers, part 3 By Eric Smith

He saw the sudden blaze of light, reddish as seen through his closed eyelids. It woke him up immediately. Then something blocked the light. Honker opened his eyes, and found himself staring at a FOWL Eggman. Despite himself, he gave a start.

"Come on, kid, the boss wants to see you." Honker flinched as his arm was grabbed by a gloved hand and given a sharp jerk. "Move it, he dosen't like to be kept waiting." Honker got up, and noticed a second Eggman by the door with a pistol. As if they expected a nine year old to by a major threat. Maybe they did. FOWL's training methods did not leave much leeway for independent thinking.

He was escorted down the corridor, with more Eggmen on guard everywhere. They all stared at him, although thier impenetrable helmets hid any and all signs of emotion. But Honker had little doubt they didn't like him. Finally, they stopped in front of a large double door. The Eggman punched a series of buttons on a keypad, and the door swung open. He then shoved Honker inside, before the boy had been able to properly prepare himself for what might be in there.

The room was very bare, very cold in appearance. There was only a single table, a chair in front, two behind it. The two behind it were occupied. One of them was Steelbeak, Honker recognized him on sight. The massive rooster had a calm expression on his face. Honker knew the other one as well, Ammonia Pine. He also knew she was unbalanced in the very least. Her expression was crazed, and her eyes seemed to hold back madness that raged to escape. It was enough to daunt even Darkwing himself, let alone a young boy.

Steelbeak gestured to the chair. "Sit down, kid. We don't stand on ceremony around 'ere." He looked past Honker. "Ok, youse have done your job. Beat it." Obviously he was talking to the Eggman, although Honker was too afraid to turn around and look. He heard the doors close. He couldn't take his eyes off Steelbeak's.

The rooster steepled his long fingers. "Now den, on to business. Do youse know why youse was kidnapped?"

"No." answered Honker truthfully.

"Well, it's like dis. We know youse hang around wit' Darkwing Dimwit, because we've seen ya with him. Both of us. So we figure youse got all de straight dope on da guy. An' dat's why we snatched youse."

"I don't understand." said Honker. "You soon will!" screeched Pine suddenly. with a voice like nails on a chalkboard. Honker felt his very core jump. Steelbeak eyed her. "Do youse mind, I can handle dis without de commentary." He turned back to Honker.

"Come on, kid, a nerd like youse gotta have some idea of what we want. Youse are gonna tell us everything youse know about Dipwing. Where 'e lives, where 'is 'ideout is, what 'e eats, who 'is other pals are and of course, what 'is secret identity is. Youse do dat for us, and youse might be sleepin' in your own warm bed tonight. Whaddya say?" The rooster's expression was perfectly cordial.

Honker looked at the floor. He could never talk. That much he knew. It would destroy Darkwing and by extension, Gosalyn and Launchpad as well. It would likely even make it easier for FOWL to take over the world. A chilling vision of the armies of darkness marching over the earth passed through his mind. He could never do that to someone who had saved his life more than once, who had treated him as an equal when most others either ridiculed or bullied him. He owed Darkwing so much. Honker felt much older than nine as he looked Steelbeak in the eye.

"Well?" asked the rooster.

"No." said Honker simply.

What happened next surprised even Steelbeak. Moving with amazing speed for someone her size, Ammonia Pine reached across the table, grabbed Honker by the shirt and lifted him into the air. "What do you mean no?" she screeched in a voice that was enough to scour the paint from the walls. "Do you want me to wipe you out like bathtub mildew?"

Honker was petrified. It had been an abrupt reminder that he was still a young boy facing two dangerous criminals, one of them insane. Her grip felt like solid iron. It was a grim hint of what she was capable of, her strength increased even more by madness.

Steelbeak stared at her for a second. "Put 'im down." he said at last.

"We can't play around with this little stain!" cried Ammonia.

"I said put 'im down. I'm still de head agent 'ere." Steelbeak silently cursed High Command for teaming him up with her. He knew she'd pull some BS like this, and that made the whole thing more complicated. "Dat's an order, Pine." She dropped him in the chair, grumbling.

"If de dramatics are over." he said to her, then turned back to Honker, who was trembling. "Wrong answer kid. Ya see, youse don't have a choice. You're gonna tell us what youse know about Dumbwing, even if we have to force youse. And I'll take dis opportunity to remind youse dat we know where your family is." His expression had changed to malevolence.

Honker felt a chill. He hadn't thought of that...and if they had kidnapped him, they would have no qualms about kidnapping the rest of his family and using them as pawns. It was hard to speak, but he managed. "I...I can't." he said finally.

"Oh yes you can!" cried Ammonia Pine.

"I'm tellin' youse for de last time, I'm handlin' dis." said the rooster to Pine. "Okay kid. We're gonna give youse a chance to t'ink it over, back in your cell. Remember what I said, an' believe it." He got up and went to the door. "Take 'im back." he said to an Eggman outside. The FOWL trooper marched in, grabbed Honker and roughly shoved him towards the doorway.

Back in his bare, miserable cell, Honker finally let the tears come. He didn't know what to do. He had no doubt Steelbeak meant what he said, and that if they tried to force Honker to tell the truth, he probably would. Although the rooster wasn't insane like Ammonia Pine, he was just as dangerous. Honker let out a shuddering sigh. His only hope was Darkwing.

To be continued...

Darkwing Duck and related characters are the property of Disney. This work is property of the author. (C) 2006. 


	4. Chapter 4

The Brain Pickers, part 4 By Eric Smith

The plane landed in the parking lot of Plextron Chemicals. Launchpad jumped out, followed by Darkwing. Then Gosalyn tried to leave the plane.

"You stay here, young lady." said the masked mallard. "Aw..." protested Gosalyn, but she sat back down. She was too concerned with Honker to bother arguing. Darkwing fired a grappling hook onto the roof, and they climbed up. They stole across the roof and found a ventilation shaft. "I accessed a layout of this place." said Darkwing. "This shaft will take us straight into the building." He pulled the screen off and jumped in. Launchpad followed, although he had to make a little effort to push his larger body through.

Launchpad crashed to the floor, and DW barely had time to jump out of the way. "Will you be careful? I don't want every guard in the place in here." They stood in a small room, with a table and storage closet. It smelled of cleaning fluid, and Darkwing guessed it was a janitor's storage room. He tried the door, and it opened. "Let's go, and quietly. We have to get to where the GZ7667 is stored." The corridor was mostly dark, but there were some security lights here and there. Darkwing pulled out a small flashlight and map he had drawn. "According to this, the room where the gas used on the Muddlefoots is located down the hall and to the right. Come on."

They proceeded down the hall, when they got the surprise of thier lives. A door suddenly opened, a light blazed into the hall and a caninoid in a lab coat stepped out. "Gah!" he cried at the sight of the two crimefighters. "It's...it's you!" Despite his surprise, Darkwing recovered quickly. "Darkwing Duck at your service." he said, bowing and spreading his cape dramatically.

"It's true...you really are a crook." said the canine. "No, I'm not." said DW. "I fight crime, and I'm here to investigate a kidnapping." The scientist or technician studied the masked duck. "You're not here to steal more of my valuable research?" asked the scientist.

"No, of course not." Darkwing was getting impatient. "Are you referring to the GZ7667 gas?"

"Yes. Almost all of it was stolen. Do you know why?"

Darkwing nodded. "It was used to gas and kidnap a young boy. So I want to find out who's responsible, and I could use your help. In fact, I insist." The look in his eyes left no room for argument.

Suddenly, there was the rapid patter of feet. Feet wearing sneakers, thought Darkwing with a sigh. As if in answer, Gosalyn appeared, coming from the main entrance area. "Darkwing!" she cried. "What are you doing here?" asked Darkwing. "And how did you get in?" "The front door was unlocked." DW rolled his eyes. It made perfect sense-if someone was working late, they'd leave a door open. They could have just walked right in.

"All right...little girl who just happened to be in the area...what's wrong?"

"FOWL Eggmen." replied Gosalyn. "I saw thier van pull up and three Eggmen sneak in."

Suddenly it was all becoming clear. "Where are your gases stored? Fast!" demanded Darkwing of the scientist. "Follow me!" he said, running around the corner. The others followed. They ran down a long corridor to a pair of double doors. The scientist punched in an access code to open them, and they found themselves in a large room full of tanks that resembled large gas cylinders. "This is where the GZ7667 was stored." said the scientist.

"Are the Eggmen here DW?" asked Launchpad. "I'm about to find out." Darkwing moved like a shadow between the cylinders of gas. He spotted the three Eggmen gathered around one of the storage cylinders. One of them had attached a hose to it, and was filling a smaller tank, the size of an SCUBA tank. The masked mallard quickly noted the number on the storage tank, CC-199132. Then he got back to the others in a hurry.

"What kind of gas is CC-199132?" asked Darkwing. "It's a new formula, it's designed to act on the brain and depress the higher functions. It can be a very effective truth gas." said the scientist. "Darkwing..." said Gosalyn in a choked voice, already guessing what was going on.

"Let's get back to the plane. Hurry!" Darkwing ordered his companions. "Before those FOWL goons leave. Thanks for your help." he added to the scientist, who just waved in bewilderment as they ran out a side door. As soon as they were safely inside the jet, everyone talked at once.

"Dad, FOWL must have kidnapped Honker!" cried Gosalyn. "And they're going to use that truth gas on him!"

"But why?" asked DW. "What could they expect to get out of him?" "Uh, maybe information about you DW?" suggested Launchpad. Darkwing clenched his fists. "Dammit...that's right. If they thought they could get information out of him, they'd do it. And use any means necessary, hence the truth gas they're stealing now." The Thunderquack had already lifted off, and was hovering about 500 feet above the ground. The FOWL van had pulled out of the parking lot. "Follow them, Launchpad, but maintain altitude." instructed DW. "I don't want the scum to know about us until I'm ready."

They were heading out of town. "It all makes sense, it's too much of a coincedence. FOWL stole the knockout gas to use in the original kidnapping plot. I don't know if they tried to get Honker to voluntarily give them information first."

"Honker would never talk." insisted Gosalyn. "I know he wouldn't." said Darkwing. "That's why it makes sense that they're going to force him to talk, and went back to the easy source of the gas they'd need. And it's up to us to make sure they don't use it." The truck had stopped in front of a low, rectangular building. "I know that place, it was a school at one time." remarked Darkwing. "Land across the road, Launchpad."

After the Thunderquack had touched down, all three climbed to the ground as quietly as they could. Darkwing said nothing about Gosalyn staying behind. "How do we get past those guards DW?" asked Launchpad. They could be seen patrolling in the floodlights around the building.

"We'll think of something." said Darkwing in a grim voice. "We're going to rescue Honker, and God help any FOWL goons who get in my way." His fists were clenched again.

To be continued...

Darkwing Duck and related characters are the property of Disney. This work is (C) 2006 Eric Smith. 


	5. Chapter 5

The Brain Pickers, Part 5 By Eric Smith

Darkwing took a few deep breaths. "Okay, let's go, and quietly." The trio snuck across the highway and into the yard of the former school. There was a chain link fence surrounding the building, and they scaled it as quietly as they could. There was an Eggman standing guard at one corner. Gosalyn and Launchpad flattened themselves against the wall while Darkwing snuck up behind him. Then, he swiftly put an arm around his neck and put him in a choke hold to cut off his circulation to his brain. When he slumped to the ground, the masked mallard made a hurried gesture to the others to follow him.

They saw an area that looked like a parking lot. A shiny Ferrari was parked closest to the building...obviously Steelbeak's car. And they also saw the truck that was carrying the truth gas, parked just outside a large garage door. An Eggman was leaning out of the driver's side, talking to another one. "Quick." said Darkwing, heading for the back of the truck. He pulled up the door--luckily it wasn't secured--just enough to let the three of them climb in the back.

"How'll we get out again?" asked Launchpad.

"I'll figure something out." replied DW.

Meanwhile, the sound Honker dreaded came as his cell door opened and an Eggman stepped inside. "Let's go." he said, leveling a gun at the boy. Trembling, Honker got up and walked out the door, where another armed FOWL agent joined them. They marched him down the hall and into the same room he had been in before. And once again, Steelbeak and Ammonia Pine were waiting.

"Okay, kid, I'm gonna put de cards on de table." said the rooster. "Youse have one chance to spill yer guts about Darkwing Do-nothin'. Otherwise, you're gonna get de gas, and den you'll talk, like it or not. So it comes down to whether it's yer choice or not. What's it gonna be?" Steelbeak folded his hands and looked at Honker calmly.

"H-how do you know he told me anything?" asked Honker.

"Because he's got an ego roughly de size of Antarctica." replied Steelbeak. "He couldn't resist blabbin' to youse, and we know dat, kid. So quit stallin', 'cause we ain't got time for dat."

"Give him the gas! Now!" cried Ammonia Pine, looking at Honker with eyes that practically glowed with madness. "Shut up." said Steelbeak. "Yes or no kid?" he asked the boy genius.

Honker was too afraid to speak. "Have it your way." Steelbeak made a gesture at the Eggman by the door, who left. "We get what we want 'ere, kid. Dat's Rule Number One." His expression had changed from calm civility to cold determination.

"And we're gonna squeeze your brain like a wet mop!" cried Pine. The rooster just nodded in agreement. Honker felt his insides turn to frozen jelly.

The truck drove forward for what felt like about 50 feet, then stopped. Not moving, the three heroes inside heard footsteps. "We need the gas, the boss just ordered a canister brought to the room. Looks like they're gonna gas the kid." Darkwing felt Gosalyn's hand grip his arm like iron. He laid his own hand on hers, trying to calm her down. "Take it easy sweetie. Nobody's gassing the Honk-man today." He stepped towards the door and waited, holding it open just a crack. He waited for the Eggman's gloved hand to appear to pull the door all the way up. When it did, he stomped on the hand as hard as he could.

The FOWL agent let out a howl of pain. The door was sliding up. Darkwing grabbed a canister of gas and held it like a battering ram as he crashed it into the Eggman's head. He fell to the floor. "Come on!" he urged his companions. Hearing another Eggman coming around the right side, Darkwing grabbed the edge of the trailer on that side and with perfect timing, pivoted himself around to the side of the truck and struck out with a web kick at the same time. He nailed the Eggman in the beak and sent him flying.

Pulling out his gas gun, Darkwing ran past the fallen FOWL soldier, followed by Launchpad and Gosalyn. They entered a small office area, beyond which was an open area with double doors. "If this was a school, this must be the gymnasium. I'm guessing they'd try to gas Honker in the shop area, where there are hookups for gas for welding, etc. Let's find it." But they had no sooner turned a corner when the ran into an Eggman, who had time to hit an intercom switch and shout before a blast of knockout gas dropped him.

"What de hell was dat?" exclaimed Steelbeak as he heard the loud sound in the interrogation room. He hit the switch angrily. "What's going on dere? An' where's de gas I ordered?" A reply came back. "There are intruders in the building, sir! They knocked out two of our men in the garage!"

"No...no, it can't be! Dat son of a..." Steelbeak spoke into the intercom again. "I want 'im and every one of 'is friends captured. Or else." He left the 'else' unsaid. Then he turned to Honker, who almost didn't dare hope. "If youse led that pest here..." he threatened. Ammonia Pine picked up her chair and threw it against the wall so hard it rebounded almost to the other side of the room and left a hole in the wall. "Something like that!" she screeched.

"How could I have?" begged Honker. "I dunno...I'll figure dat out later." said Steelbeak. "Come on." He grabbed Honker and all three left the room.

Meanwhile, Darkwing and his companions found themselves in the middle of a battle. He was contantly swinging his fists, knocking attacking Eggmen left and right. So was Launchpad. Gosalyn was also doing her part, disabling Eggmen with a kick to the shin so Darkwing could level them with a Quack-Fu chop. He was hitting Eggmen in the throat, and glad he couldn't see thier faces as they fell to the ground clutching thier throats and gagging horribly. They could see the shop area just ahead. Slamming one more FOWL agent against the unyielding brick wall, all three ran through the doors.

"Lock 'im in dere." said Steelbeak, pointing to a storage room in the main shop area.

"Let's gas him now!" cried Ammonia Pine.

Steelbeak exploded. "Do what I tell youse!" he shouted. "I'm sick of your crap!"

"Just watch it, Steelie." warned Pine ominously, but she did start taking Honker to the room, roughly jerking him along. Steelbeak went to an intercom on the wall. "Dis is Agent Steelbeak. What is de status of..." He was interrupted by a huge cloud of blue smoke and an all too familiar cry.

"I am the terror that flaps in the night! I am the spyware in the computer of crime! I am Darkwing Duck!" And Darkwing himself appeared, spreading his cape dramatically. "All right Steelbeak, where's the boy?" He pulled out his gas gun and pointed it at the rooster.

"Wouldn't youse like to know." In a lightning movement, Steelbeak seized a circular saw blade and whipped it at the masked mallard, who quickly dodged the lethal projectile and fired a canister of knockout gas at Steelbeak. But the rooster's reflexes were amazingly fast, as he grabbed a board and knocked the canister away like a baseball, to a far corner of the shop, where the gas exploded and dissipated harmlessly.

"Why don't youse fight like a man now." sneered Steelbeak. "Okay." agreed Darkwing, as he put the gun away and launched a web kick at Steelbeak's face. It landed on target, knocking the rooster against a table. Then Steelbeak grabbed DW by the leg and threw him against a band saw. Darkwing groaned with pain after the impact of the solid piece of equipment.

"And now I'll have de pleasure of choking youse to death...and since I won't need de kid anymore after dat, he'll be next." This filled Darkwing with rage and caused him to forget his pain. Grabbing a broom, with a wild yell he slammed the wooden pole into Steelbeak's face. Then he struck again, before the rooster could recover. Steelbeak staggered backwards, a trickle of blood running down his face.

"Had enough?" demanded the crimefighter. "Not nearly!" screeched a voice behind him, just before Ammonia Pine belted Darkwing in the head with a 2 x 4. He slumped to the ground. "Good work." said Steelbeak, turning on a table saw behind him. "Now let's get dis over with." They lifted the prone duck up and shoved his head on the table, moving it towards the deadly, fast-moving saw blade.

"Dad!" screamed Gosalyn, forgetting herself in her panic. "What the?" said Steelbeak, looking up. This gave the still dazed Darkwing the opportunity to pull out his gas gun and fire a shot right into his face. "Gaaaah!" cried the rooster, stumbling backwards. Darkwing found the strength to jump up and smash a fist into his stomach, then turned and nailed Ammonia Pine with the same board she had used to stun him. He noticed Launchpad pulling the storage door open, then he saw Honker running out.

Gosalyn was the first to reach him, embracing him tightly and shedding rare tears. Darkwing felt his own eyes stinging, but the FOWL villains still had to be dealt with. "You'll pay for this!" screamed Ammonia Pine, who then seized a nearby Eggman, lifted him in the air and hurled him at the crimefighter, who ducked easily. The agent crashed through a window into the classroom and fell unmoving to the floor. Steelbeak stood up, blood staining his white suit. His eyes were murderous. "Youse are dead. All of youse. An' dat includes you, screw up." He glared at Ammonia Pine.

"What?" cried Pine. "You let him get the better of you!" "I'm done talking." Steelbeak pulled out a gun and aimed it at an acetylene tank. "I'm gonna blow us all to kingdom come." But just as he was about to pull the trigger to ignite the gas, a canister came sailing through the air and crashed into his arm, throwing his aim off. The gun went off and shattered a window. Darkwing took advantage of the opening and threw one from the floor to flatten Steelbeak.

"Idiot." sneered Ammonia Pine to the rooster. "I know when to quit...but next time, Darkwing Duck, I'll clean you up like soap scum!" With a last insane cackle, she disappeared through the side door and was gone.

For a few seconds, the shop was quiet. Darkwing turned towards his friends, who were standing together. He went over and hugged Honker. "I knew you'd come to save me." the boy said. "No gas-wielding goons are going to brainwash my friends." said Darkwing, giving him another hug. "Good job throwing that canister LP, that was quick thinking."

"Um, that wasn't me DW." said Launchpad.

"Gosalyn?"

"Nope." said Gos. "It was Honker." She nodded to him, and as if on cue, Honker started rubbing his arm. "Nice going Honk man!" exclaimed Darkwing. "We'll make a crime fighter of you yet." He studied the boy for a moment, wondering how he could possibly be related to the other Muddlefoots. Nature can be pretty weird, he finally concluded. "LP, tie Steelbeak up with that wire, while I call the police. Then I think we can all use a super pizza."

"Yay!" cried Gosalyn. "All we can eat."

Darkwing shook his head. It looked like it was going to be a long meal.

To be continued...

Darkwing Duck and related characters are the property of Disney. (C) 2007 Eric Smith. 


	6. Chapter 6

The Brain Pickers, part 6 by Eric Smith

EPILOGUE

A few days had passed. The Mallards and the Muddlefoots were having a barbecue in Honker's yard. His family had been nonstop in thier gratitude for Darkwing Duck for saving Honker, and since they thought Drake knew him, that gratitude extended to him.

"You make sure you tell Darkwing Duck how grateful we are, now!" said Herb for about the thousandth time. "I'll do that Herb." said Drake, thinking secret identities were rather inconvenient at times.

"Tell me again how they tried to make you talk Honk." said Gosalyn. Now that the danger was over, she was full of curiosity as to what had gone on. "They threatened me, they were going to gas me to force me to talk." said Honker quietly. It was clear it was something he really didn't want to discuss.

Drake came over. "Um, Gos, why not save it for later." Gosalyn nodded. "Sorry, Honk." "It's okay." said Honker. He sat at the table, not having touched his hamburger or soda. Gosalyn left, and Drake sat down beside the boy.

"You know it's okay to still be scared. That would have been traumatic for a grown man, let alone a little boy. It would have been scary even for Darkwing Duck." He carefully avoided saying 'me', in case the Muddlefoots could hear, but it wasn't likely.

Honker looked at him. "Really?"

Drake nodded. "Really. You didn't panic, you held up, you acted like a real hero. We're all proud of you." Honker knew he meant Darkwing as well as Drake, Launchpad and Gosalyn. "Thanks Mr. Darkwing." Honker smiled.

"Shh, don't want to give my secret identity away. Now eat your burger before it gets cold, huh?" The boy nodded and picked it up.

"Hey, Drakester! Want another super triple burger?" called Herb. Drake groaned and got up. "My suit might not fit after today." he said with a wry grin. Honker chuckled. Drake went to get another hamburger, and Honker started eating his. He felt things would be different for him from now on.

THE END

Darkwing Duck and related characters are property of Disney. This work is property of the author. (C) 2007 Eric Smith. 


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